President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, presented the Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously). The Bharat Ratna being received by Shri Premdhar Malaviya, Justice Girdhar Malaviya (President of Mahamana Malaviya Mission), Smt Saraswati Malaviya and Smt Hem Sharma.

Noted educationist and freedom fighter, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was posthumously conferred Bharat Ratna, country’s highest civilian award, by President Shri Pranab Mukherjee on 30th March 2015. Justice Girdhar Malaviya, Shri Premdhar Malaviya, Smt Saraswati Malaviya and Smt Hem Sharma received the award from Shri Mukherjee at the historic Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other senior Cabinet members in attendance.

A Bharat Ratna for Pandit Malaviya, a freedom fighter and the founder of the Benaras Hindu University was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaign. Pandit Malaviya is remembered for his stellar role in the Independence movement. He was President of the Indian National Congress in 1909, 1918, 1932, 1933 – making him the only person in pre-independent India to be Congress President four times.  The Prime Minister said, "Bharat Ratna being conferred on Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a matter of great delight. Country's highest honour to these illustrious stalwarts is a fitting recognition of their service to the Nation. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya is remembered as a phenomenal scholar and freedom fighter who lit the spark of national consciousness among people...."